Creating 360 Video

When people think of VR (virtual reality) or AR (augmented reality) most think of it placing you inside an interactive synthetic world (VR) or an enhanced interactive version of the real world (AR). But the most common form of this technology is 360 video.

360 video refers to video you can see in a full 360 degree immersive environment. You can look up or down, left or right, in front or behind you. Wikipedia defines it as

"360-degree video [that] is typically recorded using either a special rig of multiple cameras, or using a dedicated camera that contains multiple camera lenses embedded into the device, and filming overlapping angles simultaneously. Through a method known as video stitching, this separate footage is merged together into one spherical video piece, and the color and contrast of each shot is calibrated to be consistent with the others. This process is done either by the camera itself, or using specialized video editing software that can analyze common visuals and audio to synchronize and link the different camera feeds together. Generally, the only area that cannot be viewed is the view toward the camera support."

The process of recording video in this way was traditionally an expensive undertaking requiring a studio filled with expensive equipment and software. But due to the increasing interest in VR and investment by vendors in software (video stitching, processing and enhancement for both monoscopic video on computers and phones, or stereoscopic for use with VR headsets), the costs have dropped to the point more and more facilities and videographers can create professional 360 video.

Here are some YouTube examples:

One is a monoscopic 360 video you can control with mouse (or touch if you are on a touch device like a smartphone or tablet)

And one for stereoscopic vr (you would need to be wearing a headset and have the video on that device in order to see the 360 effect)

There are a number of software packages that can create and process 360 video. Depending on your intent you should make proper choices in your software. If you plan to develop serious 360 based videos for applications or commercial use, then make sure you get a professional package.

Likewise there are a variety of camera systems that can capture 360 video, but again you get what you pay for. If a hobbyist it probably doesn't matter much but again if you are serious get a serious camera system. And often you can get a even better deal with a bundled software and hardware package.

Finally, when choosing your toolset, keep in mind where and how you plan to deploy your video. Make sure the software you choose can create for the platform you intend to market on.